


The Survivors

by Emmeebee



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Aftermath, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2021-02-24 15:42:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21680383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emmeebee/pseuds/Emmeebee
Summary: After defeating the First Order, the Resistance celebrates, but for Rey, victory feels bittersweet.
Relationships: Poe Dameron & Rey
Kudos: 3





	The Survivors

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this as the fifth chapter of Sapling before realising I was working off an outdated outline and had already used a similar idea for an earlier prompt. I like how this turned out, though, so I figured I'd post it separately.

In the darkness, the bonfire burned like a beacon, a towering inferno of light and heat. The flickering fire was magnetic, and every now and then, smouldering embers drifted away on the breeze.

Around it, the surviving members of the Resistance were sitting on the ground, talking and laughing as they ate their evening meal. An air of content exhaustion hung over the gathering.

The whole thing felt like an extravagance. After spending so long on the move, living off rations and trying to evade the First Order, being able to stop and _stay_ somewhere was foreign to them.

Let alone being able to spare resources on building a bonfire.

But Leia had decided they deserved it. At long last, they'd defeated the First Order, bringing peace to the galaxy once more. Good had prevailed over evil; love had defeated hatred.

And Rey was their hero, the Jedi who had led them through the fire and out the other side.

The woman who had killed Kylo Ren.

Only she didn't feel like much of a hero. Ben had still had good in him. She'd seen it; his parents had seen it; even Snoke had seen it. How was it heroic to kill someone who could have been saved?

How could she have done anything else when so many other lives were at stake?

'There was nothing you could have done,' Poe said as he sat down beside her, a plate of half-eaten food in his lap.

Rey turned at the sound of his voice, but it took a moment for her to make sense of what he'd said. 'I never said…'

He waited, taking another bite of his food as he watched her patiently.

Her voice trailed off. No, she'd never told Poe about how it felt like she could have done more, but he knew her. Of course he'd noticed that something was amiss. 'I know.'

'Do you?'

She sighed. There was no point lying to him, or to herself. 'No.'

'Perhaps he could have been saved once.' Scepticism flashed across his face; Rey knew he'd always doubted it. 'But by the time you met him, he was too far gone. You did everything you could, but it was already too late.'

'I let Leia down.'

'Did she tell you that?'

'No.' Rey hesitated. Stumbling over the words, she added, 'She said she was proud of me.'

It was a surreal feeling. She wasn't used to making people proud — or to having people around _to_ make proud.

His hand covered hers, saying without words that he agreed with the general.

'Let's go for a walk,' he suggested. 'It'll do you good to get away from all the celebrations.'


End file.
